Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies

These simple, spiced Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies feel like home–familiar, cozy, and oh-so-comforting.ย 

These Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies are deliciously sweet and chewy and full of nostalgia.

Usually when the phone rings after 10 PM it’s not good news, but when I worked for a domestic violence shelter, midnight phone calls took on a new meaning. For the most part, they still meant something bad had happened, but they also meant something else, something extraordinary actually.

Those middle of the night phone calls signified an incredible act of bravery. Behind every call was a woman facing her fears, standing up for herself, and saying no to the intimidation and manipulation she’d become accustomed to.

Most women in the shelter probably wouldn’t have called themselves brave. They were scared for their safety and burdened with worry, but I saw their courage and strength. Many of them had nothing but the clothes on their back, but they kept their chin up.

They kept going, one day at a time, waking up, making beds, cooking meals, finding new friends. They made tough decisions. They found jobs. They got their kids to school. They got groceries. They looked for houses. Each act was another act of defiance, another way of reclaiming power over their own lives.

Next time you're in a nostalgic mood, try these chewy Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies.

I learned so much from these women during the time at the shelter. I learned about the cycle of power and control, why so many women stay, and why it’s dangerous to leave an abuser. I got a better understanding of the challenges domestic violence victims face and the incredible strength it takes to get out of an abusive situation. My time thereย has stayed with me all these years, and it’s still an issue I feel deeply invested in.

This past week, I had the chance to take some homemade cookies to the women currently living at Choices, the domestic violence shelter here in Columbus. I remember from my days working at a shelter what a treat it was to get some homemade baked goods in the house. Truly, food transcends every circumstance and season. I knew I wanted to bring something that would be comforting and special, so I finally settled on these Old Fashioned Icedย Oatmeal Cookies.

These Homemade Iced Oatmeal Cookies are even better than the boxed version!

I don’t know about you, but even looking at these cookies makes me nostalgic. I used to love the boxed version of these cookies, but the homemade version far surpasses the old boxed kind. These are chewy and sweet, with a good kick of cinnamon and nutmeg to warm them up. They’re just begging to be dunked in a big mug of Homemade Hot Chocolate.

I thought they were the perfect thing to spread a little love and joy to the women and kids in the shelter. There’s just something about them that makes you feel at home–safe, warm, and loved.

These cookies are very easy to make, and I plan to dress them up for all kinds of different occasions. I made a few with heart sprinkles and a few more with festive Halloween colors. You could easily color the frosting to fit the mood or pipe on smiley faces, letters, or fun designs. This recipe will definitely be making many more appearances in my kitchen, and I hopeย they’ll bring joy and comfort in every place they go.

These Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies can be dressed up for any occasion, but are perfect for a simple after school treat.

Right now, Choices is raising money to help build a new shelter for domestic violence victims in Columbus. I’ve included a lot more information about this critical issue, as well as ways you can help, below the recipe. October is National Domestic Violence Awareness month, and I’d love for you to join me in sharing your stories and spreading awareness about the impacts of domestic violence in our communities.

Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: 32
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 cups old fashioned oats
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 Tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 cups confectioners sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Place the oats in a blender and pulse for about 10 seconds or until the oats are coarse. They should still have some texture.
  3. In a bowl, stir together the oats, flour, baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
  4. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugars. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
  5. Slowly add the oat mixture to the butter mixture and beat until well combined.
  6. Scoop the cookies out onto the prepared baking sheets using a standard cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 Tablespoon balls), spacing them at least 1.5 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms begin to brown. For soft, chewy cookies, pull them out when the centers are still soft. For crisper cookies, continue to let them bake until centers are set. Allow the cookies to set up on a baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
  7. Meanwhile, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. When the cookies are cooled, spread the frosting on top. Feel free to color the frosting or sprinkle with holiday themed sprinkles if desired!

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a review, or head over to Instagram and share a photo! Tag your projects with #neighborfoodies!

The current Choices shelter has only 51 beds, but they have upwards of 80 women and children staying in the shelter at any given time. The shelter never turns anyone away, so they’ve had to get creative, placing cots in offices and hallways to ensure everyone has a bed. Choices expects to provide services for over 2,000 people in 2016 and field 4,300 calls on their 24 hour helpline.

Currently, Choices is working with Columbus police, the Sheriff’s Office, and local domestic violence shelter to design a new shelter which focuses on Building Dignity for survivors of trauma. The new shelter will increase the number of beds to 120, and will include family units, shared kitchen and living spaces, green spaces, play areas, and even a kennel for pets. Guys, I can’t even tell you how wonderful this space would be. Having a space designed for restoring dignity, empowering survivors, and taking care of the details (like room for pets) that can make leaving an abuser so difficult would be a huge gift to survivors and our community.

If you would like to learn more about the shelter campaign as well as the services provided by Choices, visit their website, where you can donate money or time (or cookies!), and hear stories from survivors.

5 Comments

  1. Thanks so much for sharing this post, Courtney–I loved reading it so much. You do WONDERFUL things for these women, who need to know that their bravery is worth every ounce of courage. I clicked over because I had been thinking about making these very cookies this week–and I think I will have to because of your shared story! Thank you!

    1. Thanks so much Ala. I am just so overwhelmed by how strong these women are. I learned so much more from them than vice versa, I am sure. I hope you loved the cookies!

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